Crow
by Dark flame4
Summary: To Lex's horror, Tai-san rejects him when he tells her the truth about his past. He leaves, distraught and utterly alone. He has not spoken since and is now called Crow...but will he discover something horriying about his beloved Tai-san?
1. Default Chapter

Tai-san's once kind and understanding eyes were cold and mocking as she glared down at Lex.  
  
"If it's possible, you are even more stupid than you look Lex. I can't believe you actually thought I cared about you like that! You were just convenient, nothing more. How could I be attracted to you anyway? You're disgusting. You deserve the abuse your father gave you. Did you enjoy it when he touched you Lexie? I bet you did because you're a disgusting freak. Nobody would ever love you," Tai-san said maliciously, her eyes glittering with glee as she watched tears of disbelief and shock run down Lex's pale cheeks.  
  
"T..Tai-san?...what...how could you say that?" Lex stuttered, utterly confused and grief-stricken at Tai-san's little 'revelations'.  
  
"Oh quit sniveling Lex. Surely you didn't actually believe I gave a damn about you?" Tai-san laughed, looking at him like his father used to. "Do us all a favor Lex. Leave and don't ever come back. Nobody cares about you, nobody ever did," She said, her face twisted in a vicious smile. Lex struggled to his feet and stumbled out of the room, feeling dizzy. He was numb until he climbed out of the sewers onto the gras outside and he threw up in some nearby bushes before running as fast as he could. He didn't care where he was going, as long as it was as far away from the mall as possible.  
  
He hoped he would wake up next to Tai-san and find out this was all some sort of horrible nightmare. That she hadn't said all those things to him when he finally opened up to her. He had finally gained the courage to tell her the truth about the scars and the nightmares...and she'd thrown it back in his face. She was right. He was disgusting. He felt...dirty. Like no matter how hard he scrubbed at his skin the hand prints of his father would never wash off..he was alone.  
  
Had Lex stayed at the mall, he would have seen something that would have made his blood run cold. He would have seen ridges form on Tai-san's forehead, would have seen her teeth lengthen and her eyes turned yellow. He would have heard her cruel laughter and the screams of his fellow Tribe- members echo around the mall as she drained them one by one.  
  
But he kept running, never looking back.  
  
TWO MONTHS LATER  
  
"Crow? Lynx just finished making dinner, do you want me to bring you some?" Emerald asked the dark still figure. The man shook his head and she sighed, climbing into the tent and seating herself next to him. "Crow...it's been a whole month since you saved Jade and you haven't said a word. I just...whatever it was that made you so sad like this, I want you to know that you can talk to me about it. I won't shun you or turn you away..we're friends...at least I like to think we are. Please, at least tell us your real name...please? Say something, even if it's to tell me to piss off and that it's none of my business," Emerald pleaded the young man. His dark brown eyes turned to hers and she thought she saw tears glittering within them. He cleared his throat, making her jump and she practically bounced in anticipation of hearing the voice she had imagined to many times.  
  
"I'd never tell you to piss off Emerald," He said quietly, his voice raspy from being unused for so long. Emerald squealed with joy and she took him in to a quick hug, wanting to hold onto him longer and reassure him but knowing he didn't like physical contact...at all. Crow looked at her, tilting his head to one side, a small smile creeping up on his face.  
  
"So...what's your name?" Emerald asked excitedly. Crow sighed and she immediately back-peddled, "It's OK. You don't have to tell me. You're Crow to me anyway, I don't think I could call you anything else," She said, smiling gently. He gave her a grateful look and her grin broadened when he didn't flinch as she touched his silky black hair that reached his mid- back. It was so black it almost looked blue...like a Crow's feather. "Do you...do you want to talk anymore or will we save it for another night?" Emerald asked, hoping she hadn't sounded too eager. She didn't want to push him.  
  
"My throats kind of sore," He said, making her jump slightly. She was so unused to getting an answer from him she had forgotten she could get one.  
  
"That's OK. Rest now, you must be tired for going hunting with the guys," She said quietly. Crow gave her a very rare, real smile and settled down onto of the pile of blankets. Emerald got to her feet and crawled out of the tent, saying good-night to him before rolling down the flap and running off to find Jade and tell her the amazing news.  
  
Lex lay still, wondering whether it had been a good idea to talk to Emerald. She was kind to him, but he didn't want to answer all of the questions that were bound to come. He was Crow now, and Crow didn't have to deal with anything. Lex knew he owed the Untouchables a proper explanation, they'd been giving him shelter and food for a month now without question, just because he'd protected one of Jade (Emerald's younger sister) from a couple of Locos. Without them, he probably would still be wandering the land aimlessly and alone, probably dead by now.  
  
As sleep gradually overcame him, Tai-san's taunting voice filled his head. He was used to it by now, the same dream came to him every night...but that didn't stop the pain he felt when he awoke.  
  
///////"You were just convenient, nothing more. How could I be attracted to you anyway? You're disgusting. You deserve the abuse your father gave you," Tai-san sneers.  
  
"No...no please, I love you...how could you say that?" Lex pleads uselessly with her cruel, emotionless face.  
  
"Did you enjoy it when he touched you Lexie? I bet you did because you're a disgusting freak. Nobody would ever love you. HEAR ME? Nobody would ever love you. Nobody ever cared about you. You are nothing. Goodbye," Lex screams as Tai-san disappears and he is locked up in the basement back home.  
  
"Answer back at me will you? I'll show you you little faggot," His dad's voice booms from nowhere, he's coming closer, Lex knows this but he can't escape. He's trapped.  
  
"I'm not...please Dad, I'm not!! DON'T!! PLEASE!!" Lex shouts...///////  
  
Lex shot up, shaking like a leaf. The nightmares were getting more and more vivid every night and it had got to the point where he didn't want to sleep anymore. He swallowed down the bile that had gathered in his throat and changed into his black t-shirt and worn out jeans. He didn't bother with his hair anymore, he only refrained from cutting it all off was because it had been the only thing Emerald had asked of him.  
  
"Mornin' Crow," Grunted Devon from his seat by the fire. Eggs were in the pan over the fire and all the Tribe were awaiting them eagerly. Lex nodded in acknowledgment and sat down on his usual tree-stump a little apart from the group. He like watching them while they talked and joked around. Back at the mall, he'd always been too concerned with himself and his breakfast to care about what anyone else was doing...but now, he found watching people was far more interesting and amusing than taking part in the conversations.  
  
He listened to the people talk avidly, smiling a little occasionally when one of the members of the Untouchables would say something funny. The morning topics could vary from mice to shoe size, so he had to pay close attention in order to get what was going on. This mornings topic was what everyone did the night before.  
  
"So, what were you up to last night Crow?" Adam, one of the older boys asked, focusing all the groups attention on Lex. Lex simply ignored him, used to Adam's annoying, jealous behavior. He fancied his chances with Emerald and thought that she and Lex were more than friends. Lex had dismissed him under the 'Idiot' list. "What's that?" Adam said, cupping a hand to his ear, "Brooding huh? What a shocker!" He mocked, earning chuckles from some of the more obnoxious members of the group.  
  
"Shut it Adam. What is with you?" Lynx snapped, her amber eyes flashing.  
  
"Nothing is 'with me'. I'm just sick of Mr.High-and-mighty over there. He thinks he's so much better than everyone else, like he's too smart to talk or sit with us," Adam replied, narrowing his eyes at Lex.  
  
"Has it ever crossed your puny mind to you that maybe Crow *can't* talk because there's something wrong with him? God you are such a prick Adam," Kat hissed. Lex lowered his eyes, feeling guilty at causing an argument.  
  
"Well if he can't talk then why doesn't he write or something?" Adam demanded, refusing to back down. Lex's shoulders slumped and he wished Emerald were here...but she and Jade didn't wake up 'till much later so he would just have to put up and shut up. "Huh Crow? Can you write? Here's a stick, write something in the sand," Adam said, thrusting a stick in his hands.  
  
"Adam!" Lynx said disgustedly.  
  
"What? Let's see if you're right. C'mon Crow, write something," He said, teasing, taunting. He reminded Lex of himself when he was back at the mall. He looked up at Adam and shook his head, offering the stick back. He was done with fighting. Nothing was worth the effort anymore. "See? He's just a retard. He can't even write," Adam said, triumphantly. Lex shrunk into himself, mortified.  
  
"That's it! Adam. Leave. Now. Unless you want me to kick your scrawny ass back to whatever rock you were born under!" Shouted Devon, jumping to his feet. Adam snorted and rolled his eyes before sauntering away. Devon's clenched fists didn't relax but he sat back down.  
  
"You OK Crow?" Kat asked him quietly. Lex nodded silently and the rest of the morning went by as normal. He, Devon, Brin, Raad and Adam headed out hunting before Emerald and he was slightly grateful, he didn't feel like answering any questions yet.  
  
As they walked silently through the forest, a bad feeling grew in Lex's stomach. He knew something was off. The forest was too quiet. He ran up ahead a little and tapped on Devon's shoulder. Devon looked back, surprised.  
  
"What is it Crow?" He whispered. Lex motioned that they should go back, "Why?" Asked Devon, confused. Lex sighed, irritated. He pointed to his ear and Devon frowned. Stopping to listen, "Crow, I can't hear anything," He whispered exasperated. Lex nodded vigorously and Devon finally got it. "Guys..." He said.  
  
But he never finished his sentence because it was then that the cause of the forests stillness jumped out from within the foliage.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
Well, this was just a late-night idea. I might do a cross-over with Buffy the Vampire Slayer but I'm still undecided. What do you think? Please review and tell me what you think,  
  
Thanks,  
  
Raven 


	2. The Prophecy

"AMBUSH!!" Brin yelled, swinging his club at the nearest attacker. Lex braced himself and rushed at another, hitting the back of their knees with his fighting pole. The person fell to the ground yelling in agony and it was only then that he realized the people all had crosses in their hands and he paused before hitting the next one that ran at Raad. His father used to keep crosses in their house. Hundreds of them, all with grotesquely realistic depictions of Jesus on the cross, his face contorted with pain and blood dripping down his body.  
  
//'You are disgusting Alexander. You will burn in hell for being the little faggot you are. I'll teach you a lesson, Jesus had to suffer for us, and so will you.'//  
  
Lex shuddered involuntarily and the hesitation gave one of the kids enough time to hit him hard in the back and he fell to the floor, pain shooting through his spine. He lay crumpled on the floor, the world spinning around him when he felt a hand roughly pulling his chin up to look at a face. The face belonged to a young girl with blue hair and sea-green eyes...*Like a cat* Lex mused, wondering why he wasn't worried about how whole body was beginning to feel numb.  
  
"STOP!! STOP!! WE MADE A MISTAKE!!! THEIR HUMAN!!!" She yelled to the others. *Human? What else would we be?* Lex thought to himself, his mind foggy and unclear. He was vaugly aware of shouting around him and of someone running to his side,  
  
"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU PLAYING AT?!" A familiar voice screamed next to him. He wanted to say that he wasn't playing at anything but he realized the voice was talking to the cat-eyed girl who was climbing to her feet next to him. He felt someone drop to their knees in front of him and turned his bleary eyes upwards to see Devon's worried face looming above him, "Crow? Are you OK? Can you hear me? Godmmit Crow for once in your life say SOMETHING!" He shouted, hysteria tinting his voice.  
  
Lex tried to answer...he really did, but it was just too much effort. Instead he gathered up the strength to blink at Devon rapidly. "Crow?? Alright...blink once for yes and twice for no OK?" Lex blinked once. "Good, now, can you feel your legs?" Lex frowned and blinked twice, still wondering why nothing was hurting...being hit in the back with a great big stick is supposed to hurt...right? "Shit...can you feel your body at all?" Lex blinked twice again. Devon's face went pale and Lex wanted to laugh at how 'Cool-as-a-cucumber' Devon was panicking...but he was just so sleepy..."CROW!! STAY WITH ME MAN!! CROW??" Lex tried to tell him that he was sleepy...but it was too late, and the blackness swallowed him up.  
  
//"Where am I?" Lex asked, looking around the clinical white room.  
  
"Hi sweetie...you're in hospital," Was that Mommy's voice? Lex turned his head and saw his mother smiling at him, tear tracks down her beautiful face. Mommy was always beautiful...she had pretty brown eyes and black hair just like Lex's...Daddy got mad that Lex looked more like Mommy than him...but then, Daddy got mad at everything.  
  
"Can we go home now?" He asked his Mommy, knowing not to ask why she was crying...he'd given up long ago.  
  
"No Lexie. We're going to go to Grandma's. We're never going back there, Daddy can never hurt us again," She said, smiling at him and running her fingers through Lex's hair and averting her eyes from the bruises all over his small face.  
  
"OK Mommy," Lex whispered, satisfied at the answer. Mommy was here. He was safe when Mommy was here.  
  
"Go to sleep Lexie...and when you wake up, you can be my little Lexie forever and we'll never have to suffer again. First, Mommy will go back and teach Daddy a lesson," She said, her grip on his hair growing uncomfortably tight. Lex nodded and shut his eyes...but not quite. He gazed at her from beneath his curtain of black hair, pretending to be asleep so Mommy wouldn't get mad. And then he saw how Mommy's face changed...her pretty brown eyes turned yellow, her teeth got long like the wolf from red-riding hood...and her face...it got all bumpy and horrid and Lex knew the thing in front of him wasn't Mommy anymore. She leaned in towards him and he closed his eyes, knowing from his experience in the past six years, that is you just kept quiet, it would end much quicker. Then the door was flung open and a woman who looked about Mommy's age rushed in and slammed something into Mommy's back. Then Mommy gasped and a single tear of blood escaped her eye and then...she vanished into thin air and Lex's hair was all dusty. He watched, paralyzed with fear, as the short woman with blonde hair put a pointy wooden thing into her pocket and glanced at him.  
  
"Sorry kid. You'll be OK with your dad," She said, looking almost sorry for him.  
  
"Who are you?" He breathed, proud at how brave he was being to question the lady who just made his Mommy turn into dust.  
  
"I'm Buffy, the Slayer," She said solemnly before striding back out of the cramped room.Lex sat still for a few minutes before he felt a tear fall down his cheek and land in the pile of dust on the bed...he wasn't stupid. He knew he would have to go and live with Daddy now...Mommy was gone and she couldn't protect him anymore. //  
  
"Crow? Please wake up...Crow?" Lex blinked a few times and looked around him...his whole body throbbed with pain and he felt as though he had gone twenty rounds with an elephant. He opened his eyes wider and found Emerald's anxious face looking into his. "Crow? Oh thank God you're awake. You've been unconscious for hours and we thought..." Her eyes welled with tears and she squeezed his hand. He squeezed back, trying to conjour up a smile but not quite managing it. This only caused her to cry more and Lex was at a total loss at what to do. He'd never seen Emerald cry...not once. And yet here she was, sobbing, her tears falling on his bare chest...wait...bare?  
  
Lex looked down sharply, wincing at the pain but ignoring it. He cringed at the state of his chest, knowing his back looked even worse. No wonder Emerald was crying...look at him. He was disgusting, he was ugly. The raised scars on his body were like badges telling the world what a pathetic, unworthy creature he was...proving to Emerald that we wasn't worth her time. He only hoped she wouldn't dismiss him as harshly as Tai- san had.  
  
He braced himself for the inevitable...waiting for the words that anyone who got close to him were bound to say at some point: 'Nobody cares about you, nobody ever did'.  
  
"Oh God Crow...I'm so sorry, I didn't know about...about the scars...and then you got hurt...this wasn't supposed to happen. I'm supposed to protect people. I have to protect people...and I couldn't even help my best friend..." She sobbed. Lex froze, confused. Why was she saying these things? He was her best friend? He thought she only hung around with him in a mixture of pity and gratitude for saving Jade. "And you know what's worse? It was us that hurt you...it was the Slayers that hurt you...God it was me who organized them in the first place and now they could've killed you...all of you! How could I have been so stupid?" She said, her voice rising by the second. Lex frowned.  
  
The Slayers?  
  
"I wish I could make it up to you...and Brin....he's dead and it's all my fault. I'm the Slayer, It's my job to protect people, I should never have allowed that stupid tribe to try and help. I mean, who was I kidding? They have *no idea* how to handle this. And now you...and the prophecy..." She was no longer able to speak she was sobbing so hard. Lex just stared at her, wondering what he had done to deserve this. What had he done that made God hate him so much? The one friend he had was either part of some weird organization that had killed his mother when he was six years old, or she was crazy...he hoped it was the latter.  
  
He just lay still, allowing her to let her tears and frustration out as he flexed his toes and moved his arms and legs around slightly, making sure he could move everything. He thought he would be able to stop doing this after his Dad died of the virus...but no, he'd never escape.  
  
At first, he'd tried to be tough, not allow anyone to get too close in case they discovered what was really underneath the cruel mask he wore. He bossed the other people about, enjoying the unfamiliar feeling of being in control...then Zan and his baby had died and everything went spinning out of control once more. When he was at deaths door with the virus, he had confessed some of it to Zan. Not all of it mind you, he didn't want to push her away, but he told her most of it. About his Dad and nightmares...and then when she died, he was alone all over again. He had spent most of his time after that trying to numb out the pain with alcohol and had ended up scaring Selene...after Ryan threw him out, he had wanted to end it all. Seeing Selene's frightened and confused face had brought it all back. He was just like his father.  
  
A worthless, abusive, drunk.  
  
The only thing that had stopped him was the knowledge that he deserved this pain. That he had to live with it as his punishment. His father had told him all about purgatory, and how Lex was never going to get there because he was going straight to hell. But the more Lex thought about it, the more he wondered whether he was already in purgatory. A place where he had to pay for his sins through suffering before he was let into heaven...but that couldn't be right, because he knew there was no way he was going to heaven. He was disgusting...and he was a murderer. When he killed Zoot, he'd tried to convince himself that it wasn't his fault, that the bastard had deserved it....but that didn't erase the picture of Zoot's body lying in a strange angle on the floor of the mall, his head twisted to the side like some sick rag doll.  
  
"Hey Emerald. Is Crow OK?" A voice snapped him out of his memories and he looked around to the tent entrance and saw Devon standing there.  
  
"Yeah, he'd fine. Tell Jade will you? But I don't want her coming in here, it'll upset her...is that OK with you Crow?" She asked, seeming to suddenly remember he was awake. He nodded slightly, careful not to jar anything to much.  
  
"I already sent Lynx a moment ago. Can I come in?" He asked apprehensively. Emerald sent a questioning look at Lex who sighed and nodded slightly anyway. Might as well let him see, he'd find out eventually anyway.  
  
"Yes, come in," Emerald said. Devon came in and sat down and Lex watched absently as Devon's face went from worried to horrified. Lex shut his eyes, waiting for the disgust and the taunting.  
  
"Oh shit. Crow...who did this to you? Look at these scars..." Lex opened his eyes and saw Devon swallow hard and set his jaw. His eyes moved up Lex's chest and Lex knew exactly what he saw. When he was a kid, his Dad had carved a freaky sort of symbol into his chest. It was a crude triangle with small circles carved on each point. In the center the word 'Corch'. At least, that's what people told him it said. His dyslexia was so bad he could barely make out that it was words at all...but his dad had never paid any attention to the teachers at school and eventually, he took him out of school altogether. He said Lex didn't need it, because he'd probably die before he could use any of the information he'd learn at school anyway.  
  
"Crow, I have to tell you something," Emerald said quietly. Lex's eyes snapped up to her and he gulped. "I'm not sure how to say this so I'll just say it. Vampyre's and Demons are real. My job is to kill them. I'm a Slayer which means I have special powers in order to defeat the demons and the vampires so I can help people and save them. Now, recently, I found some old scrolls with some wacky prophecies written on them in a different language and Devon here has been translating them. He just finished a couple of hours ago...Devon?" She said, looking to Devon for help. He cleared his throat and Lex jumped. He had forgotten Devon was even there.  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm not 100% sure because we don't have as many of the resources as we used to after Zoot burned so many of the old books but...as far as I can tell the scrolls prophetize a terrible plague that kills all the adults...within the fight for Power and Chaos, the chosen champion, The Slayer, will lose her way. And so the silent cursed one, the Crow, shall come to restore the balance. The Crow is strong, even though he has been through torture that nobody else could withstand, and only he can deliver us from the evil that has taken hold of the world. You are the Crow. It's no coincidence that you saved Jade...it was fate. You are the only one who can save us," Devon said, his voice that had been steady and toneless, shook with emotion and fear at the last part.  
  
Lex could only blink.  
  
If he was the savior of the world...then God help them all.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Okay, what do you think? Questions? Comments? I managed to incorporate a little of Buffster there, but don't go expecting more guest appearances...that was it for her part.  
  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you guys are my inspiration! *blushes at how corny that sounded*  
  
Hehe.  
  
Raven 


	3. Innocent smile

"Crow...Crow?" Emerald asked, positioning her face above Lex's to make sure he could see her. "Are you alright? Did you hear Devon? Crow...please..." She said, her voice growing panicked when Lex continued to stare glassy- eyed at the ceiling of the cramped tent, seeming unaware of her presence. "Devon...could you just leave us for a second," She said, turning to the older boy and putting a small hand on his arm when he began to protest. Devon sighed and nodded, patting Lex on the shoulder before stepping outside into the cool night air. "Crow, it's just you and me...you can talk now if you want. Ask a question or...tell me off...or tell me I'm crazy just talk again...please!" She begged him, her eyes filling with tears once more.  
  
Lex finally focused his eyes on her and stared openly, trying to spot the evil that he knew must be inside of her. She had to be evil...the Slayer...Buffy. She had killed his mother, so Slayers were bad. And Emerald was a Slayer...  
  
"What is a Slayer?" He croaked, wincing at the way his words rattled around his head loudly. Emerald breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"I know it's alot to take in but you have to believe me...A Slayer is the chosen one. A girl chosen to fight demons. She is given super strength so that she can fight them as an equal...I'm the slayer of this generation. When I die, the next Slayer takes up her duty" Emerald said slowly, her voice toneless and automatic like she'd heard the words a thousand times before. Lex stared, his brain trying to tell him it wasn't true but unable to stop the images of his mothers disfigured face. "But I can't save people anymore...my powers are weaker than usual and I can't do it. Because of me, more and more vampires were created and now the whole city has been taken over by them. Their leader is the most powerful new vampire I've ever come across. She killed her whole tribe except one girl who escaped and came to me...Eagle I think. But the prophecies...they say that *you* are the only one who can save us. Crow...you have to try...or everyone will die. Jade, Devon, Raad..me..everyone," She said quietly, her voice filled with fear and hope.  
  
Lex stared into Emerald's eyes for what seemed like years before giving an almost invisible nod. "OK," He whispered.  
  
"OK what?" Emerald asked, cursing herself for jumping *again* when Crow spoke.  
  
"OK...I'll do it," He croaked, pulling himself into a sitting position and biting his lip so hard he could taste the copper tang in his mouth.  
  
"What...Crow, lie back down, you'll hurt yourself," Emerald cried. Lex shook his head,  
  
"I've been through worse," He muttered, shuddering slightly and shutting his eyes tight as his head threatened to explode. Emerald drew breath to make another protest but Lex changed the subject before she had the chance. Living with Selene had made him an expert at dealing with concerned women. "What's this say anyway?" He asked, motioning to the words scratched across his chest....oops, wrong move, he thought when Emerald's expression darkened.  
  
"It says Corch," She said shortly, guilt written all over her face. Lex frowned, half regretful that he'd brought it up and half worried that he was more stupid than he thought he was. Was Corch even a word?? When he voiced his question, Emerald nodded slowly. "Devon checked it out. In Elvish, it means 'Crow. In ancient Malanatian, it means, 'tormented one' and in ancient Amaratin it means 'silent strength'," She replied, pretending she didn't hear when Lex snorted.  
  
After much debate, she and Lex came to the compromise that Lex was allowed to sit outside with the others tonight so they could all discuss the 'situation'...providing he let Devin carry him. Lex had reluctantly agreed and flushed slightly when Devon remarked that how light he was.  
  
"Crow!" A little voice cried and suddenly, a pair of thin arms were wrapped around his neck, carefully avoiding the bruises she'd been warned about. Lex smiled weakly and hugged Jade back, letting her bury her head in his shoulder and nodding when she asked if she could sit on his knee. He almost laughed at how carefully she was not to hurt him and wondered how long Emerald had lectured about 'no pressing the owies' when Jade had repeated this sentence to him for the 5th time in as many minutes.  
  
"Go to bed kid. If you don't go now the wolves will come and eat you," Adam said menacingly, narrowing his eyes at the small child and ignoring Lex completely.  
  
"Will they really Crow?" She asked him, her voice wobbling slightly. Lex smiled gently and shook his head, suppressing the urge to jump to his feet and teach Adam a lesson...something he hadn't felt since Tai-san had...  
  
He shut his eyes and shook the thoughts away, concentrating on Emerald when she began talking with the group and hugging Jade close when he felt her breathing even out into a peaceful sleep.  
  
"OK, so, now I've already explained the situation, we have to decide on how to do this," She began, scowling when Adam interrupted,  
  
"You gotta be kidding me? This freak is some sort of hero? No way," He said, jerking his head in Lex's direction. Lex's face remained emotionless, though his stomach twisted almost painfully.  
  
///////"Red stains on the carpet,  
Red stains on the on the knife,  
Old freaky Lexie,  
Has murdered his Dad's wife.  
He murdered the nurses,  
For fear they would tell,  
And now we all know,  
He'll be living in hell," The kids sang, circling Lex and taunting him as he lay on the floor in tears.  
  
"I didn't!! I didn't kill Mummy!! I didn't kill the nurses...I'm not a freak!" He shouted at them, screaming when two boys spat at him and began kicking him...////////  
  
"Crow? You alright?" Lex jumped at the voice but nodded slowly at Lynx.  
  
"Alright, so who votes we should go barging into the city with weapons and killing on sight?" Devon called. Predictably, Adam and a few people he'd blackmailed into voting for his plan raised their hands. "And who votes we should send in a group of four to kill Saitan and destroy the vampires by performing the cleansing spell using her ashes?" Devon asked, raising his own hand. Lex nodded to Lynx to hold up both her hands because he couldn't raise his or he'd wake Jade.  
  
"8 to 5. We send in four people," Devon said, smirking at Adam, who scowled and kicked a nearby log.  
  
"So, who's going?" Raad asked, looking around, "'Cause it sure as hell ain't gunna be me," He added, shaking his head. Emerald rolled her eyes,  
  
"Me and Devon have decided seeing as we're the leaders," She said.  
  
"Well of course you have," Adam threw in, reminding Lex so much of his previous self that it was quite frightening.  
  
"We've decided," Devon began, pointedly glaring at Adam, "That Crow, Emerald, Lynx...Adam and I will be going," He said, looking sick at the thought of Adam coming.  
  
"What!?" Several members of the tribe called out.  
  
"No way Adam is coming!" Lynx called out, shaking her head.  
  
"Lynx...he has too. He's one of the best fighter we have and he already knows how to fight vampires,"  
  
"But I kno.." Lynx began furiously when Adam leered at her cockily.  
  
"Look," Devon interrupted, "You're too valuable. You know you're the strongest witch we have and we can't risk you fighting. Adam however.."  
  
"Oh face it. Your a girl. I'm a guy. Of course I'm a better fighter," Adam sneered, trying to get a rise out of her. Lex quickly stood between them and shot a meaningful look at Lynx who sighed deeply before sitting back down.  
  
"Alright...let's get this show on the road," Devon said, clapping his hands, "Lex, you have to get some rest. Lynx, come with me and I'll show you the spell, Adam, go practice fighting. You'll need it," He said.  
  
Lex swallowed hard, wondering whether this was all worth it. Everyone died in the end, who cared if they had to die a little earlier? That was just the way life worked. You had to be tough.  
  
Jade shifted in Lex's arms and he jumped when he looked down to find her wide blue eyes staring up at him with a sleepy smile on her face.  
  
"'M not sleepy...Don't wanna go to bed," She muttered, when she realized everyone was getting up. Lex chuckled quietly and nodded...his mind made up.  
  
He had to fight. He had to fight to protect Jade. To protect her innocent smile...because *nobody*, *nobody* had the right to remove her sweet purity and leave her an empty nothing. A ghost.  
  
No. Lex would fight anything to protect her.  
  
Anything.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
Awww...isn't he sweet?  
  
*glares at Zoe suspiciously, wondering wot she's gunna do to Jay before running back to the mansion and shaking him awake.* RUN JAY RUN!!!! 


	4. Hospital

Chapter four  
  
"I'm. Not. Going. To. Say. This. Again," Devon said, grinding his teeth. Lex crossed his arms in front of his chest and narrowed his eyes in pure defiance. "Let. Me. Carry. You. To. The. Goddamn. Tent. Or. Else," Devon said, ignoring Lex's growl and bending to scoop up the smaller man in his arms. Once again, the man struggled, trying to stand up himself but this time, Devon was prepared to face the pointy elbows and just blocked all of Lex's blow...which he wouldn't have been able to do if Lex wasn't injured. "Gotcha!" He said triumphantly, picking him up and walking towards the healing tent.  
  
Lex sighed in annoyance but complied, knowing he was beaten. He let himself relax slightly in Devon's arms, safe in the knowledge that Jade was safe for the moment and sleeping soundly in Emerald's tent. He scowled when Devon stumbled slightly, jarring Lex's tired, battered bones and making his brain rattle in his skull. "Here. Get some sleep," Devon said finally, setting Lex on the pillows and handing him a thin blanket. "You have to get some rest so you can heal quickly. Once your OK to go we'll leave for the city immediately," He said. Lex shook his head, indicating they should go now, that he was fine. "And how are you going to protect yourself from vampires huh Crow? Blink at them rapidly and stun them with your ability to make crunching sounds when anything touches your ribs?" Devon asked, sounding amused. [A/N Heh. Thanks Zoe, couldn't resist putting that in somewhere].  
  
Devon stayed with Lex for a few more minutes, explaining the basics of how to make vampires go 'poof' until Devon noticed Lex's eyes were growing slightly bleary and his eyelids were drooping. "'Night Crow," He whispered before staring at the man a moment longer and sneaking out of the tent.  
  
///////"Hello Alexander, my name is Nurse Anna. Now, can you tell me where your Mother is?"  
  
"I told you already!" Lex cried, backing away from the woman. They'd asked him the same questions again and again and nobody believed the answers. "Why do keep askin' me if you don't wanna know?" He cried, banging his little fists on the counter. The nurse watched him carefully,  
  
"Because it's not the truth Alexander. Your Mother did not...did not turn into dust. Why are you lying?" She asked, watching the little boy's eyes narrow and his small face harden in what could only be called pure, unadulterated, rage.  
  
"I'M NOT! YOU'RE THE LIAR!! YOU ARE!! YOU ALL ARE!!" He screamed, kicking wildly at the young woman and sending her flying across the room in an impossible show of strength. Lex froze, watching in horror as the nurse slid to the floor, blood pouring from her head and her neck at a funny angle on the ground. "I'm not a liar..." He whispered, crawling under the hospital and bringing his knees up to his chest, watching silently as the other doctors and nurses came in to find Nurse Anna pale and still. It was all his fault...always his fault...  
  
"THIS IS ALL YOUR F#CKIN' FAULT!" His Dad shouted, picking him up and tossing him into the next room. -just hit him...he'll be dead and he would never hurt you again- a voice whispered in his mind. Lex shook his head quickly, his black hair swishing into his eyes when his father slapped him hard across the face. -go on...it would be so easy...just a little push- the voice continued. Lex shook his head again. He would never use his strength again...it only hurt people. He was bad...so bad. He needed to be punished for the curse Satan had put him under...///////  
  
Lex shot up, sweat pouring down his forehead. He hadn't had that dream in years. He'd done everything to block it out...but it was back full-force. He gulped an shook his head slightly, hoping to dispel the horrible images flashing through his mind. He suddenly realized his chest wasn't hurting and looked down sharply...no pain. He gingerly pressed his sides and back...no pain. It just felt perfectly normal.  
  
"What the hell?" He whispered, standing up with his usual ease and stretching around a little, testing his limits. It seemed as though nothing had happened. Sure, the scars were still there but there were no bruises to be seen. Lex walked outside hesitantly, rolling his shoulders a little and for the first time in years, not thinking about the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt. His eyes widened when he picked up a stone and crunched in effortlessly in his hand. He swallowed hard when the realization hit him  
  
The powers that he had smothered since he was six years old were back...and he couldn't do a damn thing about it.  
  
"Holy crap man! What the hell is up with your chest?" A voice sneered from the campfire. Lex didn't even bother to look up. He couldn't listen to this now...  
  
"Crow? Why are you out of be..." Devon asked, before gasping and moving towards him, staring at him in wonder. "The bruises are gone...are you...does it hurt?" He asked, staring open-mouthed. Lex shook his head slowly, taking one of Devon's hands and pressing it on his right side so Devon could see for himself.  
  
"God get a room faggots," Adam muttered under his breath so that nobody but him could hear. Sure, he hated Devon and Lex, but that didn't mean he wanted to get his ass kicked. Just as the rest of the Tribe sleepily trudged towards them, Devon and Lex sprang apart, both looking slightly uncomfortable.  
  
After several minutes of questions and winces on behalf of Lex's scars, the Tribe sat down to a relatively normal breakfast with Adam throwing in his snide comments, Lynx threatening to castrate him and Devon trying to keep the peace.  
  
"Raad? Do you want your eggs scrambled or fried?" Lynx asked, not looking up from the pan.  
  
"He's here," Raad replied, his voice low and distorted.  
  
"What?" Kaleb asked, touching his brother's shoulder.  
  
"The chosen one is here...his powers regained. The old powers are awakening, the balance must be restored!!" Raad shouted, jumping to his feet and making everyone stare in silence.  
  
"Raad?" What's wrong?" Kaleb asked, his eyes wide.  
  
"QUIET!" Raad screamed, picking Kaleb up by the throat and twisting it viciously so a sickening crack echoed around them. Suddenly, screams filled the vally and Lex found himself flying through the air towards Raad, power surging through his veins. Power that he vowed never to feel again.  
  
He snapped Raad's neck with ease and watched it in horror as he turned to dust before their eyes.  
  
"It's begun." Lynx whispered, staring at Lex's shaking hands.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


End file.
